ORDER OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER

SUSPENDING CERTAIN PUBLIC GATHERINGS AND

CLOSING NONESSENTIAL BUSINESSES AND SERVICES
DUE TO RISK OF INFECTION BY COVID-19

WHEREAS, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been detected in Alabama; and
WHEREAS, community transmission of the infectious agent COVID-19 in Jefferson
County that poses significant risk of substantial harm to a large number of people; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Health has designated COVID-19 to be a disease of
epidemic potential, a threat to the health and welfare of the public, or otherwise of public health
importance; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, on recommendation of the State Health Officer, Kay
Ivey, Governor of the State of Alabama, declared a state public health emergency exists in the
State of Alabama; and
WHEREAS, on March 16, 2020, the Jefferson County Health Officer, in response to a
rapidly growing number of cases of COVID-19 being detected in Jefferson County, issued an order
suspending certain public gatherings in that county; and
WHEREAS, on March 17, 2020, the State Health Officer issued a similar order for
counties surrounding Jefferson, including Blount, Saint Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Walker
Counties, and
WHEREAS, on March 19, 2020, the State Health Officer entered an order providing that
the Jefferson and Mobile County Health Officers are authorized, after consultation with the State
Health Officer, to implement more stringent measures as local circumstances require; and
WHEREAS, further social distancing measures are necessary to be implemented to further
prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Jefferson County; and
WHEREAS, Ala. Code § 22-3-5(2) authorizes the County Health Officer to “institute
immediate measures to prevent the spread of such disease.”

NOW, THEREFORE, THESE PREMISES CONSIDERED, it is ordered by the County

Health Officer:

1. Effective March 20, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., all nonessential businesses and services shall
be closed. Attached to this Order is a list of all such nonessential business and services.

2. Effective immediately, all gatherings of 10 persons or more, or gatherings of any size

that cannot maintain a consistent six-foot distance between persons, are prohibited until
further notice. This Order shall apply to all gatherings, events, or activities that bring
10 or more persons in a single room or single space at the same time.
3. All Senior Citizen Center gatherings shall remain closed. Senior Citizen Centers and
their partners are urged to assure that their clients continue to receive needed meals via
curbside pick-up or delivery.

4. Effective immediately, all the following shall remain closed until April 6, 2020:

a. All schools.

b. Preschools and childcare centers with 12 or more children.

i. This shall not apply to employer-operated childcare centers for the

exclusive benefit of essential employees located in the immediate
vicinity or on the premises of State and Local Governments, First
Responders (including EMS and Fire Services), Law Enforcement,
Hospitals, Nursing Home/Long Term Care Facilities (including
Assisted Living and Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities), and End
Stage Renal Disease Treatment Clinics.

ii. This shall also not apply to licensed childcare centers that contract to
provide services exclusively to the above-named employers, or that
provide services exclusively to children of essential employees of the
above-named employers, provided those childcare centers are able to
maintain a consistent six-foot distance between children.

Prior to April 6, 2020, a determination shall be made about whether to

extend the above closures.

5. Facilities for care of children of or under the guardianship (age range) of first
responders, essential healthcare workers, essential public health workers, or others
providing services essential to health, safety and sustenance of life may be opened,
provided:
a. Operators of these facilities conduct appropriate screening and supervision of
their workers to ensure the health and safety of the children under their care.
b. Operators of these facilities follow a plan, approved by the Jefferson County
Department of Health, for social distancing and other measures to prevent
spread of disease.

6. Effective immediately, all Hospitals and Nursing Home/Long Term Care Facilities
(including Assisted Living and Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities) shall prohibit

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 visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel, except for certain
compassionate care situations such as end-of-life.

7. Effective immediately, all elective dental and medical procedures shall be delayed until
April 6, 2020. Prior to April 6, 2020, a determination shall be made about whether to
extend this provision.

8. Effective immediately, any restaurant, bar, brewery, or similar establishment shall not
permit on-premises consumption of food or drink until April 6, 2020.

a. Such establishments may continue to offer food for take-out or delivery

provided the social distancing protocols including maintaining a consistent six-
foot distance between persons are followed, and provided measures are taken
to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on containers of food and other items
transferred between food servers and customers.

b. Such establishments are strongly encouraged to offer online ordering and

curbside pick-up of food.

c. Hospital food service areas are excluded from this order provided they have
their own social distancing plan.
Prior to April 6, 2020, a determination shall be made about whether to extend this
provision.
9. If the organizer or sponsor of an otherwise suspended event desires, they may submit a
request for an exemption from this order, at the discretion of the County Health Officer.
While the County Health Officer is under no obligation to grant such an exemption, it
shall be fairly considered based on the following criteria:

a. Effective measures have been taken to identify those attending the event that
may potentially be affected with COVID-19, including but not limited to
personal testing for the disease or submission of current medical clearances to
the organizer.

b. Effective measures have been taken to prevent the spread of infection even by
those that are infected while not symptomatic, including the provision of anti-
infection measures such as proper facemasks, personal sanitation measures, and
other measures that may be considered proper.

Requests for an exemption must be submitted AT LEAST two weeks in advance of any
scheduled event.

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 This Order supersedes all orders previously issued by the County Health Officer and
shall remain in full force and effect for the duration of the current emergency
conditions.

Done on this 19th day of March 2020.

______________________________
Mark E. Wilson, M.D.
County Health Officer

Non-Essential Services
3/19/2020

Entertainment, including night clubs, bowling alleys, arcades, racetracks, indoor children’s play
places, pool halls, adult gaming and entertainment venues

Recreation facilities, including gyms and fitness centers, swimming pools and spas, excluding
licensed physical therapy services

Nail salons and spas

Casinos

Concert venues and auditoriums

Theaters

Tourist attractions (including museums, planetariums, parades)

Body art facilities and tattoo services

Tanning salons

Massage parlors

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Waxing salons/threading salons

Museums and Galleries

Performing Arts centers/events/rehearsals

Social clubs

Fraternity and Sorority meetings and events

Proms, Formals and other similar events